 Map of Location
About the location:
Nestled in the Andalusia region of Spain, Seville will surely enchant
you with its whitewashed alleyways, patios of orange trees, and hidden
plazas. Seville is a city deeply marked by its historical roots. The
long Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula left indelible traces
in this part of Spain. La Giralda is probably the most famous structure
in the city. Once the tower of an important mosque, it is now part of a
huge Gothic cathedral, and is the most well known of the remaining
Islamic monuments. This culturally rich city is also famous for its
tapas and Flamenco dancing. Seville is credited with the invention of
the tapa—bite size samplings of a variety of typical Spanish foods,
ranging from seafood to ham, and from vegetables to a myriad of cheeses.
The city has more than a thousand tapas bars, so Sevillians make a meal
of them by moving from bar to bar and trying one dish at a time. Another
trademark of this region is the art of Flamenco dancing, which is said
to be an artistic expression of the sorrows and joys of life, often
accompanied by the song of a Spanish guitar.
About the cooking lessons: Today more and more people are learning that Spain is a top culinary destination —not
just the home of the famous paella, Spanish omelette, and gazpacho, it now boasts some of the
world's best and most renowned chefs and restaurants, along with a greatly variety of styles.
During your amazing cooking vacation, you can explore anything from great stews and meat dishes to seafood
recipes, vegetable dishes, salads, desserts with a Moorish influence and
so on.
 The chef for your cooking lessons, Willy Moya, trained in Spain and Paris and
runs one of Seville's top restaurants, Poncio, where his creative
Andalusian cooking has brought him recognition from around the world. He
will lead you in a cooking course of about 2½ to 3 hours, giving you
a chance to prepare a variety of dishes, such as:
a selection of tapas dishes,
popular rice dishes,
Andalucian cold soups, or
seafood recipes. In addition, you will learn to use such famous Spanish ingredients as: extra virgin olive oil,
sherry wines and vinegar, and the ham and meat of the acorn-fed Iberian pig.
Seville
Cooking Vacation Itinerary
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Day One
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Arrival in Seville and transfer from airport or train station to your hotel.
Your accommodations during your cooking vacation will be at a lovely 4-star hotel in the center of Seville.
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This evening you will meet your guide Roger at the hotel around 8:00 pm for your tapas tour
of the four best tapas bars in Seville to give you a
taste of what Seville can offer. Many consider Seville to be the
the tapas capital of Spain!
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Day Two
- Breakfast at your hotel.
- Depart around 9:30 am for the Sierra of Aracena in the province of Huelva,
a mountainous area near the Portuguese border, about 55 miles north-west of Seville.
Here the finest hams in the world are made from the Iberian pig. The hams
are cured in the mountain air for up to 3 years, and are considered by some to be
the pinacle of Spanish gastronomy. First visit one of the best ham producers in the
village of Jabugo, a name synonymous in Spain with fine ham. An expert will show you around,
explain the process involved in the production of ham and other pork products.
At the end of the visit, taste the wonderful products along with a glass of the best fino (Spanish sherry).
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Next stop is the town of Aracena, where you will enjoy lunch in one of the finest restaurants in the area. You will sample
the best local products, such as cheese, ham, mushrooms, Iberian pork, wild asparagus, artichokes, etc. (The dishes will vary
according to the season.) The lunch will be accompanied by fine Spanish wine and end with typical Spanish desserts.
- After lunch free time to explore Aracena.
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On your way back to Seville, stop for a cooking leson with Chef Willy. You will learn a
selection of great Spanish dishes that you can recreate for your friends and family when you return home.
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Dinner to follow based on your efforts.
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Day Three
- Breakfast.
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Departure around 9:30 AM for Jerez, home of the world-famous Spanish sherry wines.
You will first visit a large winery in Jerez where you will see the spectacular rooms filled top to bottom with sherry casks.
The buildings are often compared to cathedrals, and they certainly do give the impression of being sanctified places!
There will be an in-depth tour, complete with an explanation of the unique process of making sherry wines, vinegar, and Jerez
brandy.
At the end of the visit, enjoy a tasting of fine sherry wines.
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Next stop will be a boutique winery that only produces very high-end sherries, brandies and vinegar.
You will get to sample their wines and brandies, many of them tasted directly
from the barrel—a rare treat!
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Afterwards, head to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, passing by
some of the most important vineyards on the way. Sanlúcar is the second most important
sherry town after Jerez, and is unknown to most foreign visitors. Located at the mouth of the
Guadalquivir estuary, it overlooks Doñana National Park and out to the
Atlantic Ocean. Among the other types of sherry wine produced in Sanlúcar you will
discover manzanilla, a light style of sherry with a salty hint to it. - Sanlúcar is also known as one of the
premier destinations in Spain for fine
seafood. Enjoy lunch at one
of the fantastic seafood restaurants along the banks of the estuary.
- After lunch, free time for a walk along the
beach.
- Return to Seville, where you will be free for the rest of the evening.
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Day Four
- Breakfast and transfer to the airport or train station.
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US$1700 per person based on double occupancy
Single supplement: $295
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Available on request year-round for a minimum of 2 people.
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- Three nights accommodation in 4-star hotel in Seville
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One hands-on cooking lesson
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All meals except for dinner on Day three
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Local wine with all included meals
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Food excursions as per itinerary with guide and transportation
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Cooking Vacations 
Included in the cooking vacation:
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